Cerebellar Metastasis as First Metastasis from Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Abstract

Brain metastasis is an uncommon complication of differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Even more, cerebellar metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) are exceptional. We report a 69-year-old male patient with infiltrative PTC who developed high levels of thyroglobulin (Tg) and deteriorated neurological symptoms four years after the initial diagnosis. Computerized tomography (CT) of the brain demonstrated a cerebellar mass and the patient underwent surgery. Pathology revealed metastasis from PTC. Immunochemistry was positive for Tg. The patient had no other sites of distant metastases. Although PTC has generally a good prognosis, metastases to the cerebellum can occur, even as the first metastatic site, despite the fact that appropriate therapy (surgery, radioactive iodine therapy, TSH suppression therapy, chemotherapy and external radiotherapy) had been given for the primary tumour.